Minolta XD Series

p.giannakis said:
The failed capacitor is a well known issue with the X-700, not the XD.
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I expect you're right; I've had several (a dozen or more) 300's, 700's and XD's. Mostly bought for the lenses when they (body and lens) could be bought for 3 or 4 pounds. Still got 3 or 4 of them, I vaguely think. I'll have to look when the ebay season starts...

Regards, David
 
retinax said:
How's the noise and mirror slap on the X compared to the XD? As buying XDs seems to be a gamble, I'm thinking about gambling on cheaper bodies and gaining AE lock, or at least as a second body.
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I have an XDs, X300 and X700 and would say that they are about the same. The XD uses a felt pad to damp mirror slap while I think that the X300 uses a foam pad which might conceivably wear out and need to be replaced. The mirror slap on these bodies (and any pretty much any 1970's/80's SLR) will be a shock if you are used to a rangefinder or a modern DSLR with an active mirror damper...

Of the three, the XDs has the advantage of an adjustable diopter, and the all-metal build quality feels superb. The X300 build is terribly plasticy, but it is lighter and more practical when shooting.
 
:: Mark said:
I have an XDs, X300 and X700 and would say that they are about the same. The XD uses a felt pad to damp mirror slap while I think that the X300 uses a foam pad which might conceivably wear out and need to be replaced. The mirror slap on these bodies (and any pretty much any 1970's/80's SLR) will be a shock if you are used to a rangefinder or a modern DSLR with an active mirror damper...

Of the three, the XDs has the advantage of an adjustable diopter, and the all-metal build quality feels superb. The X300 build is terribly plasticy, but it is lighter and more practical when shooting.
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Thanks. I know the XD-7 or 11, it has almost zero mirror slap if it's in good condition, thanks to the pneumatic damper I guess, a bit more noise comes from when the mirror returns but it's a very quiet SLR. And this even with worn foam pad (mine has foam, not felt). I'm asking because I think the X series lacks the air piston and is lighter in weight. Are you sure your XD is ok, if it's about the same, or can anyone else confirm? I've had a noisy, slapping XD before, something must have been broken.
 
Steve M. said:
Your camera has a very good lens judging from those shots.

I think the Leica R3 was based on the earlier Minolta XD 7 (BIG, heavy cameras) and the smaller and lighter R4/5 cameras were based on the Minolta XD 11 cameras. The early R4's had some buggy electronics, and I'm not sure if those were inherent in the Minolta model or only in the Leica cameras.

I had a couple of R3's, and in the end they were just too large and heavy for me to deal with. The R4/5 cameras were quite compact compared to that beast. So a Minolta XD 11 would be a nice SLR.

My R4/5 cameras suffered from shutter lag and a loud mirror return that I believe was common only on the Leica cameras and not on the Minoltas.

http://www.subclub.org/minman/leica.htm
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Actually, the Leica R3 was based on the briefly made Minolta XE-7 (1975-77). I used Garry's Camera Repair out of Buffalo Grove Illinois to overhaul my XD pictured above.
 
From memory weren't part (chassis and so on) bought by Leica from the XD to form the basis of the R5. They've a lot in common.


Regards, David
 
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